NEW BLOG MONDAY*! "Tell me, what is it you plan to do...

with your one wild, and precious, life?"

The last line from the poem "The Summer Day" by my favorite poet Mary Oliver. I love this string of words together. The way she gently, but urgently, asks this utterly profound and simple question. A question that, almost ironically, it will take a lifetime to answer...

This is our belated Monday blog for YES. All week long we have been celebrating the power of this word. We have been asking for stories of when you said 'YES!' to something that may have been a bit unfamilar and outside of your usual paradigm of day to day living. (I will post some answers, as well as the entire poem, at the end of this blog!) We have gone through our collection of jewelry with meaning and created a section of pieces of jewelry that feel like YES! to us.. that give us the courage and conviction (the FEARLESSNESS!) to say the word.

Recently, I said YES! to an experience that would take me outside of my normal day to day experience, would take me out of the country literally, and more than this, into a space of just not knowing what to expect. I travelled to Italy with a new friend while she worked. I had no expectations and no 'plan'... this isn't easy for me! And even though there are much bolder, braver examples of saying YES!, about midway through the trip, I had this huge epiphany. I was just so happy I didn't let anything 'stop' me from the experience. Before I left, I had a list of about 15 reasons why not to go, and only one why I should... because I wanted to. I wanted to see another country, step into the unknown, ..LIVE..and not just 'exist'.


*PABLO VALENCIA 'ONE MUST LIVE AND NOT JUST EXIST' (in french) RING!
The result was magic. And i wanted to share it with you, because I think sometimes we 'forget' that we CAN say YES! That we can change our lives and claim our lives. Does this seem to obvious? Maybe... but if there is even the chance that anyone reading this has forgotten this simple truth, if anyone hasn't asked themselves as of late, the question that begins this blog.. I wanted my positive experience to be a reminder.

I am working on a little video of some of the things I saw on the short journey. I am putting just a few pictures here, because I actually didn't take many at all. I wanted to, but I also just wanted to 'be', with total presence, in every moment. My journal entries were short and to the point instead of long and 'processy' (yup, just made that up!)

"You will not be the same after this." Read one whole days only entry. Looking back, I know what I meant by it. I meant, I am answering Mary's question. I am choosing and changing and claiming my life. It's an awesome thing and if it inspires one person to do the same, this makes me very, very, happy!

HERE IS TO YES!!!!*
Rachel Nyc-July 2010

From Giving Tree Jewelry's WIN ON WEDNESDAY question of the week on Facebook

Question:
TELL US YOUR FAVORITE EXPERIENCE OF SAYING 'YES!' TO SOMETHING THAT SEEMED A BIT.. OUT OF THE BLUE, 'SCARY', INTIMIDATING.. ANYTIME THAT 'YES!' WAS THE PERFECT DECISION!"
Answers:

‎32 years ago, in 1978, after working almost three years for the Navy Dept. as a secretary (being an art student and tattoo apprentice after hours) I quit my job just three days before attaining permanent status to go to the very uncertain life of full time tattoo artist. I most certainly made the right decision! Leap and the net will appear!!!!

A year ago, I was an operational specialist who was thinking about applying to business school. Out of the blue, one my of high school buddies asked if I wanted to start a business with him in Asia. We've been working on it for the last couple of months, and we're launching in October. And if we fail, we'll learn from what didn't work and try again.

I said yes to... going to London for a semester in college, teaching for a year in Korea, to getting married on top of a lighthouse, having kids, and buying a sailboat... but the biggest thing I said yes-which-was-the-perfect-decision was, instead of going for a nice mundane degree in college; teaching/business/english - - I said yes to ART SCHOOL> What a challenging/infuriating/wonderful decision that was!!


I said yes to dinner with a woman on the opposing softball team in my freshman year of college. When we were shaking hands after the game, she grabbed my hand pulled me out of the line and asked me to dinner.......we were together for 10 years, till a car accident took her away. Unexpected yes's are good.


I said "yes" to a boat ride a little over two years ago, worked out wonderfully since he's the guy in my profile photo right now ! :)

Yes to having a baby was the most terrifying, exhilarating, wonderful "yes"!
Saying yes to my husband's proposal was scary. I had always been so independent. Turns out to have been a great decision!

Saying yes to a job working with adults with disabilities. At first I was terrified, but now I have found a community of people who are kind, fun to be around and will accept you for exactly who you are. I plan to work with this community for the rest of my life. They enrich my life every day and have taught me to be a better human being. I hope I've taught them half as much as they have taught me!

About 14 years ago..I was 34......I decided to up and leave the Federal Govt and figure out what else I could do.......At the time I was having GI testing done.was stressed.single mother of a boy age 9..divorced 5 years.ready to move on.When I walked out the doors of that secure building/job as a supervisor/training coordinator/facilitator since ... age 19.I was scared.......

I became a registered massage therapist and have never looked back! 12 years in Practice I enjoy every day of my life! My son is now 23! he knows that you can do whatever you want but it's important to WANT what you do! He's an artist, musician,thinker,man of few word, kind, gentle, practical.....I could go on.......


the thing i said yes to was getting married !! i never thought i would but i found a great guy who loves me for who i am....and it is perfect !

Said yes to the job I have now, not knowing nearly enough about it. Turned out all right. :-)

Starting a web design business with a self taught son, a husband with a full time job and me who had not worked outside the house in 20 years.

Saying "YES" to becoming a trainer for Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST). Scary and intimidating because I did not have much training experience, but one of the most rewarding experiences ever!!!


Everyday I say yes to the challenges that face me, from the minute and mundane to the life-altering possibilities that raising a teenager continues to throw at me---I am
My "yes" was saying yes to the Army Reserves back in 1996. Very out of the blue, but I am definitely a spontaneous person. With the extra money I used it to go to college out of state and so many things in my life fell into place with my YES to the Army. I wouldn't change a thing!

Said yes to my husband when he asked me to marry him and again when he wanted children. SO glad I said yes to both. I can't imagine my life without either

I am in the midst of my 'biggest' yes moment to date............yes it scares the heck out of me, but, after years of writing to myself, about myself, about life, I am dropping my current business talents to pursue writing.....I am selling everything I thought I cherished and making a true step towards something that is big in my soul...

Saying "yes" to running R2R at the grand canyon...given my fear of the unknown I am pretty darn happy that I did it and had a wonderful time :-)))


I said YES to myself.and that's the most important person to say yes to!




The Summer Day
Mary Oliver
Who made the world?
Who made the swan, and the black bear?
Who made the grasshopper?
This grasshopper, I mean-
the one who has flung herself out of the grass,
the one who is eating sugar out of my hand,
who is moving her jaws back and forth instead of up and down-
who is gazing around with her enormous and complicated eyes.
Now she lifts her pale forearms and thoroughly washes her face.
Now she snaps her wings open, and floats away.
I don't know exactly what a prayer is.
I do know how to pay attention, how to fall down
into the grass, how to kneel down in the grass,
how to be idle and blessed, how to stroll through the fields,
which is what I have been doing all day.
Tell me, what else should I have done?
Doesn't everything die at last, and too soon?
Tell me, what is it you plan to do
with your one wild and precious life?
-Mary Oliver




















*These pictures won't make much sense! The first few (dark ones :() are of the post art show DANCE PARTY! that was hosted by the most amazing, genuine, down to earth husband and wife, Angela and Massimo Laurie
HERE IS A BIT ABOUT THEIR COLLECTION

I have never felt more welcome anywhere! I said YES! TO DANCING ALL NIGHT!

A shot of my new favorite salad.. with BREAD IN IT!
my NEW FRIEND Greg having his limoncello
my seat mate on my solo journey out to Italy, LUIGI!
The day time shots are of the other collection and collectors home we visited. It was in a region of Italy called Basilicata, 6 hrs South of Rome. The family lives in the castle shown here (with fabulous MODERN art adorning the 700 yr old entrance way!) Again, I have never felt such a warm and wonderful welcome. In the picture if our host Pier Vittorio, next to him Bernard Picasso and his wife, and artist Aaron Young, who installed a show in a church in Umbria and whose work is breathtaking!